The strange events that are occur here have been called the Brown Mountain Lights for more years than most can remember. They appear along the ridges of this mountain on a regular basis and are faithful enough that in clear weather, you can see them just about any night that you care to.
When present, the Brown Mountain lights can be seen from as far away as Blowing Rock, and have been reported to rise to a fair height above the ridge, before disappearing in a 'silent explosion', like a roman candle. The lights are best seen from Wisemans view or Linville Falls
Official speculation as to the origin and cause of the lights ranges from 'reflections from moonshine stills' to marsh gases. However, in modern times, moonshining has become increasingly rare, and there are no marshes near the area where the lights appear.
Scientists are not the only ones who speculate as to where the lights come from. If one reads almost any book about North Carolina mountain folklore, you are likely to find some slightly more superstitious explanations for the lights. One story tells of a pregnant woman murdered by her husband after he falls in love with another woman. He buries her body under a pile of rocks on Brown Mountain, but the very next night mysterious lights appear over the ridge. Haunted by the ghostly lights, he confesses to the murder and leaves town, never to be seen again.
According to Cherokee folklore, the lights are the lanterns of the wives of brave warriors killed in battle. They wander the skies above the mountain, forever searching for the souls of their loved ones.
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